AGUNSA: Goals of diversification and expansion in the continent.

Before the world’s shipping business crisis gained momentum, AGUNSA had already begun a process of business diversification, which allowed coping with the harsh market conditions. “Positive results will be obtained by the coverage of businesses and services in Chile and abroad”, stated Luis Mancilla, CEO of the company, in MundoMarítimo. Mancilla indicated that in 2017 the figures “should double” and that “in 2018 we will come near our historical figures”.

Regarding the losses in 2016 of two agency services; Hanjin, due to bankruptcy, and APL, due to its merger with CMA CGM, Mancilla stated “considering the results of the business, we can say that this is not relevant for AGUNSA, because the representation business had been showing modest results and, in some cases, definitely negative”.

A year and a half since CCNI was purchased by Hamburg Süd, Mancilla recognised that this caused “a far more serious impact”. However, he explains that AGUNSA already had a diversification strategy for other areas: “basically, we are greatly involved with the concession of ports and airports. We also developed the logistics business about 20 years ago, and not only in Chile. Our container terminals and warehouses in Peru and Ecuador are a mature and well-developed business”.

Mancilla continued: “AGUNSA is a renowned shipping agency, an activity that is still very important and that currently represents a third of our business”.

–Do you believe that being granted the concession of the port of Manta in Ecuador was AGUNSA’S greatest success in 2016?
“Yes, it was very important, but we actually finished the year with three items of good news. The one you mentioned is part of them. Along with Sacyr, we were the consortium that proposed the best offer for the Asunción airport, for 30 years; there only remains a process of tender analysis and allocation. We are also taking control of a port operator in Uruguay: Transgranel is a company in which we participated and, after a negotiation process, came to an agreement to acquire it completely.”

Regarding Manta, Luis Mancilla rules out possible rejection to AGUNSA’s project by the community: “I have been in Manta twice over the last 30 days. The last time I went to sign a contract we visited the port; we have walked around several times and we have not noticed any sign of rejection”.

He also mentioned that “As seen in previous concession processes in Chile, some stakeholders may consider that their current conditions are being threatened. However, I have not seen anything like this in Manta; on the contrary, I would say that some in the bulk carrier business have a very good opinion about the project.”

He also highlights that “We have been working in Ecuador for more than 20 years; this must be one of the countries that are most open to Chilean investment.”

–One of the apprehensions was that Manta would not become a deep-water port…  “This option has never been dismissed. In fact, expansions and investment on equipment to receive container vessels are being considered, but this will take time, since Dubai Ports is developing a large-scale container terminal in the area of Posorja, near Guayaquil.

Let us remember that the port of Manta has other capabilities: it is a bulk carrier port and the main fishing port in the whole coast, apart from being the main port for discharging cars and receiving cruise ships in Ecuador.”

Also, “enough investments will be available to receive containers, which the port is lacking nowadays“.

Peru, Brazil and Chile

Mancilla also indicates that they are aware of future developments in the maritime port business in Peru, where AGUNSA has been present for more than 20 years. “Apart from the upcoming concessions, we, along with a Spanish group, have presented a private initiative for the development of a Port in Peru.”

He prefers not to go into details: “this is still being considered a private matter; the Government shall be involved and then it will be made public.

He also stated that: “in the case of airports, we are looking at some very interesting ones in Brazil”.

Finally, regarding Chile, he mentions a very important project for a terminal that will be located in the new stretch of road to enter the port of San Antonio, “We basically would like to develop three activities there: a container depot, logistics business and the development of a customs warehouse outside the port. Considering that the area is large and flat, we want to use it as parking zone for cars discharged at the port”.

By Mundo Maritimo